India, Jan. 10 -- The standards of ethical values are higher for lawyers, the Supreme Court said on Friday, while refusing to allow a plea of a Telangana lawyer who has been barred from contesting the upcoming State Bar Council elections on account of pending criminal complaints.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi prima facie observed that the "he is not the person who should be allowed to contest the (Telangana State Bar Council) elections."

The top court was hearing a plea of Rapolu Bhaskar, a prominent Telangana High Court advocate, assailing provisions of the disqualification of an advocate in the State Bar Council. Referring to the provisions, a lawyer, representing Bhaskar...